Anyone own a Maine Coon cat they can tell me about?

[tyty333]

There is a Maine Coon (male) cat at the local pound that I have my eye on (I''m sure he is not pure bread - he just
looks like one). Anyone have any knowledge of their character, good, bad or otherwise?

He seems really laid back and would make a good lap cat - I''ll be it a big one! If anyone has any firsthand
knowledge of these kittys, I''d appreciate your input.

Thanks,
tyty

 

[musey]

Oh my goodness... the most beloved cat I've ever had was a maine coon mix named Bethany. Oh I loved her so much. I cried for days when she passed away.

She was as sweet as could be, a total lovebug. Huge resonating purr, couldn't get enough of laps (hated being held in arms, though - laps only). She wasn't very playful, so if you want a silly play companion maine coon may not be it... but that's only based on my experience with the one cat.

The only personality issue she seemed to have was a major aversion to change. Have no idea if it's a breed thing, a cat thing, or an individual thing. We adopted another kitty after having Bethany for about 6 years, and she was never the same. She seemed so bitter and angry about the newcomer, like she felt invaded or replaced. Broke my heart to see her change so much

 

[cara]

They do commonly have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), if that is a concern for you. There is a genetic test for the most common mutation that causes HCM in maine coon cats, I think LynnB has a ragdoll that tested positive for a mutation so maybe she has some opinion on that possibility now that the news has had some time to settle in.

Googling, it seems like they say the breed tends to ''gentle giants'' - not quite lap cats, but sociable enough cats with good disposition and curiousity without being clingy or spazzy. And big. And furry

. No personal experience though. Love to see some pictures if someone has one!

 

[DiamanteBlu]

I LOVE Maine Coon cats. I have had 2 [both from the pound so who knows whether they were pure bred or what]. They were both the sweetest animals with whom you could want to interact.

I say - go for it. Take the big guy home. They are sweethearts.

Here is our little Koko [RIP] shortly before she left us:

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 9/11/2009 6:30:36 PM
Author: cara
They do commonly have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), if that is a concern for you. There is a genetic test for the most common mutation that causes HCM in maine coon cats, I think LynnB has a ragdoll that tested positive for a mutation so maybe she has some opinion on that possibility now that the news has had some time to settle in.

Googling, it seems like they say the breed tends to ''gentle giants'' - not quite lap cats, but sociable enough cats with good disposition and curiousity without being clingy or spazzy. And big. And furry

. No personal experience though. Love to see some pictures if someone has one!

Honestly, I don''t think that MC *or* RDs are more *prone* to HCM (per se) than any other cats. There is just the ability now to test for one mutated gene in each of those two breeds. But HCM is unfortunately prevalent in all cats, mixed breeds and purebreds.

And OH, MC cats are (in general) WONDERFUL! I can speak for several. Their fur is long and can tend to mat; but other than that, I''d say they can be nearly perfect pets. A LOT like Raggies; very laid back and friendly, and gentle. They can tend to be big, and like all cats, may not be a lap cat as much as a "wants to be near you" cat. But my friend has two MC mix kitties and they are BOTH lap cats and 4 star SWEETHEARTS! LOVE them!

Please keep us posted on what you decide to do!

 

[Elmorton]

DH grew up with Maine Coons as the family pets. They''re outgoing, wonderfully loving cats! But, they do have some weird issues because of their size. You need a biiig litter box - sometimes they have a hard time fitting in covered ones, thus might make a mess. Also, my MIL told me that her Maine Coons loved splashing water out of their bowl - though my run-of-the-shelter tabby does that too

Oh! And from what I''ve been told, beware of your Christmas tree if you have one - it''s toast.

Ultimately, my MIL stopped getting Maine Coons because of the health issues associated with the breed. If the kitty you''re looking at is a mix of some sort, that could actually be a benefit!

Anyway, adopt, adopt! Sounds like a great cat. Post pics!!

 

[Lynn B]

My friends'' MCs are quite the floor (and couch!) cats, really don''t jump too high or climb too much. They are also pretty quiet, but when they do meow, they have these surprising small little kitty *voices*!

They are really, really WONDERFUL (and BEAUTIFUL!) kitties!

 

[cara]

Ehh... I don't know what the prevalence of HCM is in the wider cat population, but its pretty high in Maine Coon cats. High enough that I'd be surprised if it was the same risk as a different breed of cat. About 1/3 of Maine Coon cats have the mutation for which they have a test, and some additional cats have signs of HCM but not the known mutation, so they probably have another mutation that is not yet identified. I don't know that it would keep me from adopting a cat, I just thought I'd throw it out there.

Surprisingly, they even recommend continuing to use exceptional cats in Maine Coon cat breeding programs if they are heterozygous for the HCM mutation but asymptomatic (and then screening the kittens). I guess the damage to the gene pool would be too big if they kicked out 1/3 of the cats. But its probably not a very popular idea among the purebred kitten-buying public, at least among those aware of the issue. Pound sounds like a great place to find one, especially if he's a sweetheart.

Oh, and the water! Supposedly its because they were captains cats brought over from Europe on boats, and of course Maine was a sailing kind of place. (Don't know how attraction to water was a good trait for a ship-bound cat in the North Atlantic OR coastal Maine, but that's the myth for you!)

 

[DiamanteBlu]

Both of my Maine Coons lasted about 17 years. Their kidneys and hearts went simultaneously [same for my pure black kitty - Spooky - who lasted about 20 years]. I would not worry too much about congenital issues.

 

[DiamanteBlu]

Date: 9/11/2009 9:11:26 PM
Author: Elmorton
Oh! And from what I''ve been told, beware of your Christmas tree if you have one - it''s toast.

Yeah. Guide wires are good! LOL!

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 9/11/2009 11:05:49 PM
Author: cara
Ehh... I don't know what the prevalence of HCM is in the wider cat population, but its pretty high in Maine Coon cats. High enough that I'd be surprised if it was the same risk as a different breed of cat. About 1/3 of Maine Coon cats have the mutation for which they have a test, and some additional cats have signs of HCM but not the known mutation, so they probably have another mutation that is not yet identified. I don't know that it would keep me from adopting a cat, I just thought I'd throw it out there.

Surprisingly, they even recommend continuing to use exceptional cats in Maine Coon cat breeding programs if they are heterozygous for the HCM mutation but asymptomatic (and then screening the kittens). I guess the damage to the gene pool would be too big if they kicked out 1/3 of the cats. But its probably not a very popular idea among the purebred kitten-buying public, at least among those aware of the issue. Pound sounds like a great place to find one, especially if he's a sweetheart.

Hi Cara!

I believe it's less than 1/3 of TESTED Maine Coons that are showing at least one copy of the mutated gene. It's higher than RDs, though, for sure.
Our vet recently said that he is seeing an increase in HCM and other heart diseases in all cats. He said he wouldn't worry about a Ragdoll or a MC having a (significantly) higher risk than the general population or discourage anyone from getting a RD or MC based on facts as we know them right now. That's all I know on the subject; I'm just repeating what he told me recently.

And yes, the problem is similar within the RD breeding community, although there are definitely two schools of thought on that. Some responsible breeders have quit breeding het/pos cats altogether, period; but some haven't. They are breeding het/pos to negative cats and then testing the offspring with the hope to get a neg kitten to replace the het/pos parent and then retiring the het/pos parent. And you're right, the technology is still so new that a LOT of potential adopters are simply not asking questions about that yet.

 

[tyty333]

Thank you all for your comments...you all basically told me what I wanted to hear as far as their personalities!

musey - I already have a cat and I''m a little worried how she may take a new comer. She is a little bit
bit**y but I''m hoping she''ll find a way to get along with a new kitty. She is only 4 1/2 and I
cant see me not having a cat till you passes away in 13-16 years!

cara - thanks for that info. I looked it up. I''m hoping since he probably isnt pure bread that his chances of
having it are the same as any cat I might adopt. I also saw that they may tend to have hip displasia (I
probably didnt spell that correctly).

DiamanteBlu - Your cat was beautiful...17 is a pretty good age for a cat...not all that old but not bad either.
My mom has a cat going on 22 and is still in pretty good shape. She is a little spoiled.

LynnB - I remember hearing about your kitty (I''m sorry). I would love to have a RD but havent seen any
RD like kitties in the local pound. They have the personality traits I''m looking for but I think
everyone else wants them too

. Hugs to your kitty and I hope the HC doesnt affect her for
a very long, long time (better yet never).

Elmorton - Big kitty litter box...I hadnt thought about that...My current one is regular kitty size so I may have
to get a bigger one! He would be my second kitty but I think I''m going to give them each
their own box. The xmas tree - we have a 9 foot fake which is pretty sturdy but I''m sure it
would topple with a 12 lb cat climbing up it. From what I read 12 lbs is on the small side for
a maine coon but since he is not pure bread...it would make sense. My other kitty is only
7 lbs.


I did read that MCs like water...which I find fascinating. I would love to take this kitty a big bowl of water
to the pound and see what he does with it. My DH is leaving on a business trip on Tuesday so that would
probably be the day I would get him so my husband doesnt have to suffer through the first few days of
the kitties having to get to know each other. I''ll keep you posted! Thanks again for all your comments!

 

[mayachel]

My grandmother has two MC''s that were rescues. They are about 5 years old already, she''s had them since they were about 1year old. They are HUGE, shed like there''s no tomorrow, require daily brushing so as not to get matted, but otherwise are super sweet. Very playful, intelligent, interested in the world around them. She is in her 80''s and it seems like they know not to trip her up, but they are more than happy to be underfoot for the rest of us. They are very into climbing up things, knocking over fragile knick knacks etc...yes, beware of the Christmas tree if there will be one in your home. Like others have said, they will sit in her lap on their own terms, but do not like being held or picked up.

 

[Elmorton]

tyty, I was telling my DH about your post this morning, and he reminded me of the set-up his mom figured out for his kitties: she put a dog bowl of water inside a rubbermaid container. One of their cats would splash it around and then lay inside the bowl.

 

[LilyKat]

tyty, I don''t have personal experience of Maine Coons, but my experience of cats in general has been that personality is much more dependent on the individual cat rather than the breed. If you''ve seen/played with him and he seems laid back and lap-cat-like, he probably is

I''d take him home!

 

[tyty333]

mayachel - your grandmother must love her kitty companions! I am a sahm and all the kids are in school now (yeah) and would appreciate
having some more kitty company. Luciky, I dont have many Knick knacks and anything of value is already in the china cabinets
(thanks to my 5 and 8 year old). We use to have a himalayan kitty and I just dont think he realized how big his body was (due
to all the fur). He use to knock a lot of stuff off the counters...he wasnt really clumsy just not very self-aware.

Elmorton - great idea with the water bowl...that way he could play without making a total mess!

Lilykat - you are probably right...when I got my last kitty I chalked up the way she was acting (not overly friendly) to being in the pound.
I figured once we got her home and give her some time to get used to things then she would probably be a lot more
friendlier. Well she is friendlier but just not as much as I wish. I want more of a people cat...she is more of a cat''s cat.
We love her just the same but I dont want to bring another one home like her. This new guy set in my lap for a while and
was just eating up all the rubbing and petting I was giving him. He seemed very comfortable and laid back at the pound
and I would only hope that he would be more comfortable in a real home without all the comotion.

 

[LGK]

I have a mutt cat, Rat, who happens to look exactly like a Maine Coon but in miniature- if you put him next to my friend's pure bred girl, they'd look like twins. Even though you'd swear he's got to be MC, his personality is like... exactly opposite of MC "traits". Super high strung, skitty, high strung, shy, high strung, fierce, high strung, runs about like a small fuzzy lightning bolt and leaps onto anything including tops of doors, clingy, howls a lot... did I mention high strung? If you drop a pin near him he's gonna hit the ceiling and then disappear for hours. Well, I love him despite his silliness, but even though he looks precisely like a Maine Coon, he's definitely got his own personality. A lot of it.

So you may well get a kitty who looks like a MC but acts like his own self. He sounds gorgeous!

 

[risingsun]

I have two Maine Coon cats. I love this breed. My older cat will be turning 21 this October

My little girl is 11. They are both friendly and playful. My girl is a lap cat, but only if she wishes to be. She is quite the "madam." Our boy has always had a more independent personality. He always responds to petting and such, but we have to go to him. In general, they are calm and nondemanding--except at mealtime

. If the MC you found seems to have a good personality, he might be a good match for you.

 

[somethingshiny]

I just saw that tonight on Animal Planet there is a show called Cats 101 and the Main Coon Cat is one of the breeds discussed.

 

[doodle]

I have one, and I have also had two others (one of which my mom has now), and I can''t rave enough about what sweet, mild-mannered, intelligent, snuggly, playful, WONDERFUL cats they are! Bentley interacts really well with other animals and small children, which was really important to me since we have an 11 year old and when we first got him also had 4 other cats. He was a Humane Society kitty who had been abused, so it took some time to break him of being skittish around strangers, but now, he''s really friendly with new people, and he''s so mellow that we can give him a bath, dry him, brush him, and trim his nails all in one shebang without him giving us a hassle. Bentley is a talker, so if you so much as get up to walk across the room, he starts meowing at you. He also chirps at stuff out the window all the time, which is pretty funny (just thought you might want to know about that distinctive MC trait, haha!). They are really great pets, and health-wise, they tend to be pretty hardy. The only two health problems they''re known for having a genetic risk for are cardiomyopathy (as mentioned before) and hip dysplasia, but both of these can be screened for, and the pound would be likely to have already checked him out for either condition if they do any kind of vet care at all at that pound. I say go for it!

 

[tyty333]

Littlegreykitten - I''m not sure I understood (and I want to get it right

) but your little guy is HIGH STRUNG?
I''m hoping to defeat this possibility by getting an adult cat that already seems laid back. I
have a 5 year old daughter and a high strung cat would probably spend most of its time clinging
to the ceiling!

Risingsun - somehow I knew you were a cat person (even though I dont think I have read anything about yours
on PS). This guy does seem laid back and did sit in my lap for a while at the pound but after that
wanted to get up and explore. (who wouldnt, there is so much going on there!)



Somethingshiny - thanks for the heads up on the show. I am definitly going to try to catch it.

Doodle - glad to know you have found them to be excellent pets. I dont mind talkers since I''m home a lot by
myself. I cant imagine being able to bath/dry/trim a cat without them going nutso on you. I''ve
never owned a cat you could bath!

Look at this adorable little girl I found while I was looking at the pic of the MC. They say she is a Ragdoll mix.
I bet she is very sweet (and gosh she is just so adorable to look at!)

 

[risingsun]

Here are Woody and Abby

Woody is a "mackeral" tabby and has very shaggy fur. Abby is a classic tabby and her fur is very silky. From this perspective you can't see the size difference. Woody is 10 lbs heavier than Abby

 

[risingsun]

Madam Abigail...

 

[risingsun]

Sir Woodrow...

 

[Clairitek]

The vet seems to think that my Charlie is part Maine Coon due to his size and demeanor. He is such a sweetie. It took a little while for him to grow up into the nice kitty he is today (I''ve posted here a bit about his shenanigans) but it was worth the tough kitten stage. He is very talkative and playful. I would adopt a Maine Coon cat in a heartbeat!

 

[iheartscience]

I have a Maine Coon girl named Olivia and she is just the love of my life! She was a rescue-I got her from some random people at Petsmart who were carrying her around. She was a tiny kitten, I gushed about how cute she was, and they told me they couldn't keep her and asked if I wanted her, and of course I did! She's definitely all or mostly Maine Coon. I didn't really know anything about Maine Coons but when I took her to the vet all the vet techs and the vet told me she was definitely a Maine Coon, maybe even a purebred one. I read up on them and she fits all the characteristics except for size! She's a little lady and only weighs about 6-7 pounds.

Olivia's very playful and sweet. She loves water and makes me turn on the water for her in the bathroom sink and tub all the time! She drinks it a little and then just sits under the water and gets her head all wet. She also is a little bit of a maniac occasionally and loves to sprint around the house as fast as possible and do hand plants off the walls!

She snuggles with me pretty often but is definitely not a lap cat. However, she is very affectionate and loves pets. She also comes whenever she's called and she's very chatty. She has a funny trill that she does and it is so cute! She also loves to do the weird chirping thing at birds outside. If I had the opportunity to rescue another Maine Coon I definitely would! I love her so much and if other Maine Coons are anything like her I would love another one!

ETA that's her in my avatar-she climbed the screen door to my balcony then jumped over to the actual door and was hanging there! I forgot to mention she likes to climb things!

 

[iheartscience]

I couldn''t resist posting a pic...I''m sure I''ve posted this on PS before but here''s one of Olivia showing off her gorgeous winter coat and green eyes!

 

[chrissy100]

I have a Maine Coon, Gus. He is 2 1/2 & very unpredictable. One minute he is sweet & relaxed, the next he is terrorizing everything (in a cute frisky way)

We love him so much...he has quite the personality! HE decides if he will be held, when he will be fed, and when his catbox needs cleaning; and he is VERY vocal! He LOVES playing in water. He will get in the shower after you, play & drink out of the toilet bowl & we have even caught him flushing it. He eats more than any other cat I have met, and is very clean & particular about things. He scratches one area of our couch a lot, and we are thinking about getting him laser surgically declawed. Maine Coons needs alot of exercise, especially if they are indoor, so it''s good to play alot (:

 

[TooPatient]

Sven is wonderful.

We adopted him at about 18 months old. He is now about 2 years old and 23 pounds.
Great personality. Loving. Playful. Smart.

He likes to be carried up the stairs in the morning and LOVES to lick my hair. He''ll climg onto laps gently and doesn''t mind getting picked up and put on a lap.

His favorite treats are little bites of homemade bread (he only gets a little bite every few days). He''ll sit and watch us eat and wait for his turn. If he really wants something, he turns his head sideways and opens his mouth.

He gets along great with Lilly (the cat he is with all day) and doesn''t have the slightest fear of Sentra (our dog). In fact, he''s started to lick her.

 

[TooPatient]

This is Sven & Lilly on floor.

Lilly is about 12 pounds.